A rare fin whale that washed ashore on the north Oregon coast Monday was emaciated and likely died from an underlying illness, a necropsy concluded Tuesday.
NOAA Fisheries West Coast said the fin whale was a young male, about 46 feet long, and appeared to be thin and emaciated. The necropsy team, which included a pathologist, collected tissue samples to help identify any illness that could have led to the cause of death.
NOAA said the whale came ashore entangled, the injuries associated with the entanglement appeared to be fresh and superficial. The team also recorded wounds from killer whales, called “rake marks.”
NOAA said a complete anaylsis is expected in 2-3 weeks.
The whale was found stranded at Sunset Beach State Park between Seaside and Warrenton early Monday.
It was the first fin whale to be stranded on the Oregon coast in at least 10 years, according to Michael Milstein, a NOAA spokesman. Last year, three fin whales were found dead on the West Coast, Milstein said. They typically swim much farther offshore than gray whales.
Fin whales are the second largest whale species and get their name from the distinct fin near their tails, according to NOAA. The agency estimated a minimum fin whale population of 7,970 near the West Coast in 2018. The pre-whaling population of fin whales was between 42,000 and 45,000 in the North Pacific, according to NOAA reports.
Beachgoers who stumble upon a stranded or beached whale are asked to stay roughly 100 yards away from the carcass for safety and research purposes, according to NOAA.
